Jack Draper put on a commendable show as he breezed into the second round of the Qatar Open, defeating Alexei Popyrin with a score of 6-2, 7-6 (7-4).
Returning to the court for the first time since an injury cut short his Australian Open run against Carlos Alcaraz in January, Draper, the tournament’s eighth seed, wasted no time in setting the pace. It took him a mere 27 minutes to claim the first set in Dubai, as Popyrin struggled to counteract the power of Draper’s first serves.
However, the second set brought more challenges for Draper. Popyrin put up a fight, saving a break point to stay on serve. But Draper, competing in Doha for the first time, held his nerves in the tiebreak, securing the win. This victory sets Draper up for a round of 16 clash against Australian qualifier Christopher O’Connell.
Earlier on Monday, top seed Carlos Alcaraz made a smooth entry into the second round by overcoming Marin Cilic with a 6-4, 6-4 victory. Cilic, who is returning after a knee injury had sidelined him since November, had opportunities to tilt the match in his favor. He missed crucial break points towards the end of the second set, which would have given him a 5-3 lead. Alcaraz seized the moment, breaking Cilic’s serve and booking his spot in the last 16, where he awaits the winner between Zhang Zhizhen and Luca Nardi.
